Puerto Rican Ladies Are In Love With Me

Well, to start off, we got transfer calls last night... Good news and bad news, lol. The good news is Elder Christensen is gone, and the bad news is I'm still in Arecibo. Wait, I said that wrong, lol. The good news is that I am still in Arecibo, and the bad news is that Elder Christensen and my bromance is over. Wait, what...? 1 Thessalonians 5:26 says, "Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss." Wait, what did he say? Don't worry about it, lol. I am just kidding. But seriously, I will miss Elder Christensen. It's so weird. We've lived together for three months, and after living with someone for that long, you get so close. I think of him as one of my closest friends, and he's kind of like my dad (mission dad). He's just been here to teach me. It will be weird. But on that note, I am so excited to get my new compañero. Se llama Elder Tuescher, which will be really confusing for those Puerto Ricans. Elder Tew and Tuescher, lol. They will be so confused, but it will be fun! I am excited. I think this is my least favorite but favorite part of missionary work transfers. They're just absolutely insane. Like, I lived with this kid, and I won't see him a lot after because you just don't. Then he will go home in a year and have a life, and we will be friends. But it's just so weird. Like, I have seen this kid every day since July. That's crazy. I don't know. It's wack.

Alrighty, we had the busiest week, and it seems to always be like this solely because it's the end of transfers, and they're always like this. MY BRAIN IS FRIED, so cooked, bruh. Like, I don't know how to think, and you might be thinking, you're thinking about thinking right now about not being able to think, and I'm thinking about that, typing this, and I don't know, man. Don't question me.

Tuesday - we had a lesson with our recent convert, and our member Melvin bought her groceries for, idek, he apparently just was using "psychology so she will make us more food," lol. Then it was pouring rain, and we had to drive to Vega Baja for the entrevistas (interviews) with President Skinner, and Hermana Skinner roasted me for not liking chicken, but that's okay. I still don't like it. Don't give in to peer pressure is my motto.

Wednesday - we had woken up playing tennis. That's right. I was sleep tennising, jk, es un chiste, which we do every day, btw, not a new thing. Don't worry. Tennis is lit, btw. I am actually so cracked. I literally have been playing every day for three months. Literally goated. Anyways, after that, we went to Toa Baja to do service for some member with our district, and we painted this giant pared (wall). So we go through the jungle. Also, Puerto Rico is so jungly, and every road is paved. They may have horrible roads with potholes, but I am so impressed that every road is paved. It's so lit. Don't ask me how, but Utah needs to take notes on paving in the mountains. #stopdirtroadstoday. Anyways, we get to this lady's house to paint her wall, but we're early, and she is like, "This is my sister who is deaf, and she's always angry. Ignore her." And I am like, "What? That was so wack." But it's chilling. I'm like, "Oh, sad." So I smiled. She seemed happy. Anyways, the lady that wasn't deaf kept looking at me, and I would smile. Then she goes in English, "You look like my grandson. It's so cute." And the whole time she would talk to me, she goes, "Hay bendito" or "dito." Like, it kinda means like, so precious, I guess. I don't know how to describe it. It's like when your heart is so full because they're so adorable. She kept saying that when I smiled. Then we painted her wall, and we finished, and we're all leaving, and she gave me a whole aloe vera plant because I had a sunburn from helping, and she, like, said I was her favorite. Then she gave me a pana (breadfruit), parcha (passion fruit), and some Hawaiian plantains, and Chef Boyardee. She was, like, pulling all these things out of her kitchen. She was giving me her whole pantry. We had to stop it, but I am just hyped she gave me a whole aloe vera plant. Lol.

Thursday - we did district counsel, then exchanges, and it was so sick, ahahah. I went with Elder Philips, and we were doing our stuff through the day. And I had this feeling so strongly we needed to street contact in this certain area, but it's, like, kinda far, and I was like, "No, don't waste Elder Philips' street contacting time," and I was like, "Nope, that's the devil. We're going." So we went and literally met the most elect guy who was listening to us. And I was just firing off the Restoration in Spanish, and it was all clicking in his mind. I saw it, and the spirit was freaking so strong. There's no way you couldn't feel it. It was insanely strong. Then we came back, had a video call with another lady, same thing, Restoration, and the spirit was so fuego. Oh my, these two know what we're saying is real. We had so much power and authority when we were teaching. Then we called this lady named Albemar and talked to her about baptisms for the dead because her mom just died. Anyways, we ended up putting her on date for baptism. It was crazy.

Friday - we helped set up for the ward activity and also switched back companions, and it was lit. We didn't do much, but we put another lady named Maria on date for baptism too, lol. So pray for her.

Saturday - I had my first Puerto Rican party. It was so weird. We had a BBQ in October, like a summer BBQ with Christmas (Puerto Rican Christmas music), which is so hype. It was so fun, so much food, so many less active. It lasted 5 hours, lol.

Sunday - sacrament, and Elder Christensen gave a talk. We went and taught Remberto's mom and met random people in the street. Some guy wanted to give us vodka with orange juice, lol. Then we got transfer calls.

I had my first Spanish dream, and it's so cool.

I am so happy as a missionary, you have no idea. But this transfer is hard. I will miss Elder Christensen. I am so excited to be comps with Elder Tuescher, though. It will be good.

Weekly Book of Mormon doctrine is from Alma 26.

"Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.

4 Behold, thousands of them do rejoice and have been brought into the fold of God.

5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted."

I love this because it's about missionary work from Ammon, and he's saying that we are instruments in the Lord's hands here to bring about this great work. And that the Lamanites were in darkness, but we brought them to the light of God. How great is that? The field was ripe, meaning God prepared them way beforehand to be ready for the message, same with missionary work. The field is white, all ready to harvest. We must not waste time on the unelect. If it's not their time, I especially need to remember that. It's not their time. They're not ready. And later in the chapter, it goes, "I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom, but behold, my joy is full. Yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God." I love this so much because, well, Ammon truly was the best missionary, and he was so humble. Humility is the key to Christ. Everything falls under humility and love. So let us all be more humble and have more love. It's something I need to work on a lot as well, but I just love God and love Christ. I love this church. It is true. We don't need to be the ones converting. That's God's job. We are here to be His instruments.